Get ready for curtain-up at the best musicals, theatre shows and live entertainment playing in Melbourne in 2026.
Festivals & Events
Laneway Festival
The ultimate guide to summer festivals and events in Melbourne and Victoria 2026
From food and wine to music, cinema, art and sailing, there’s a festival for everyone across Melbourne and regional Victoria.
Do you want to watch live music by sunset, feast on international delicacies in the city, or enjoy salsa dancing on the street? From Melbourne to the Murray, there’s a festival for every kind of Victorian. Here are the best food, music, art, film, wine and entertainment festivals on this summer.
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Check festival websites for the most up-to-date information.
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The Australian Open attracts fans from all over the world. Image: Visit Victoria
Best summer festivals and events in Melbourne
Vida Melbourne Latin Festival
Australian Open 2025
12 January - 1 February 2026. Melbourne Park.
The Australian Open (AO) is one of the four Grand Slam tennis tournaments held worldwide.
The AO features top professional tennis talent, live entertainment, exhibition matches, giant screens around the precinct, and family-friendly events. The social atmosphere makes this Grand Slam more than just sport: it's a summer cultural fixture in Melbourne.
Midsumma
18 January - 8 February 2026. Across Melbourne.
RACV is a proud partner of Midsumma, Australia's premier LGBTQIA+ festival that celebrates queer culture.
Midsumma spans several weeks and includes cabaret, theatre, music, visual art and lively public gatherings. The festival's events are spread across the city, culminating in street celebrations and inclusive community programs. The biggest events are the Midsumma Carnival (Sunday 18 January), Midsumma Pride March (Sunday 1 February), and Victoria's Pride Street Party (Sunday 8 February).
Lunar New Year
17 February 2026 (official date); 17-28 February 2026 (celebrations). Across Melbourne.
Lunar New Year is one of Melbourne's most vibrant cultural celebrations, marking the start of the lunar calendar. Events are centred around Chinatown, Docklands and other inner-city precincts, with lion and dragon dances, lantern displays, live performances and food stalls.
The festival celebrates Melbourne's strong Asian heritage and is a highlight for families, food lovers and visitors interested in cultural experiences. 2026 celebrates the Year of the Horse, with program highlights including the MSO Chinese New Year Concert (21 February), the Chinese Lunar New Year Festival 2026 (22 February), and Lunar New Year at narrm ngarrgu (20 and 27 February).
RACV Members save 10 per cent on MSO tickets to select performances.
Melbourne International Flower & Garden Show
25-29 March 2026. Royal Exhibition Building and Carlton Garden.
Although techically in autumn, this vibrant and inspiring event has summery vibes.
The Melbourne International Flower & Garden Show gives you the chance to explore stunning garden displays, discover inspiring floral artistry, and browse a wide range of gardening products to help bring your outdoor space to life.
Whether you’re passionate about plants, love great design, or simply want fresh ideas for your home and garden, this show is the perfect way to celebrate the best of the outdoors with family and friends.
Lunar New Year is widely celebrated around Melbourne and Victoria. Image: Visit Victoria
Frankston Waterfront Festival
6-7 February 2026. Frankston Foreshore.
Located along the Mornington Peninsula coastline, the Frankston Waterfront Festival combines live music, food trucks, family entertainment and seaside activities. Its relaxed coastal setting makes it popular with locals and visitors looking to enjoy summer by the bay without travelling far from Melbourne.
Friday night (6 February) is full of live music, DJs, cocktails, food and thrill rides. Saturday (7 February) is perfect for families, with child-friendly activities, interactive activations, food trucks, live music, and the Frankston Swim Classic. The event culminates with a fireworks over the bay.
Laneway Festival
13 February 2026. Flemington Park.
Laneway Festival brings a curated lineup of contemporary international and Australian artists to Melbourne each summer. The festival's name harks back to humble beginnings in Melbourne's Caledonian Laneway in 2005. Now it's held at Flemington Park to accommodate tens of thousands of music lovers.
Known for showcasing emerging talent alongside established acts, this year is headlined by Chappell Roan and supported by Cavetown, Gigi Perez, Wet Leg, Wolf Alice and many more popular music groups. There will be plenty of food trucks, bars and water stations throughout the day too.
St Kilda Festival
14-25 February 2026. St Kilda Foreshore.
The St Kilda Festival is Australia's largest free music festival and a signature summer event. Held along the St Kilda foreshore, it features multiple music stages, local market stalls, family activities and a relaxed beachside atmosphere.
With its combination of live music and coastal scenery, the festival is ideal for day trips and casual summer outings. While you're in the area, have a swim at St Kilda Beach or pop in to Luna Park (where RACV Members save on tickets).
Antipodes Festival
28 February & 1 March 2026. Lonsdale Street, Melbourne.
Held in the famous Greek Quarter on Lonsdale Street, the Antipodes Festival celebrates Greek culture and Melbourne's strong Hellenic community. The festival features traditional music and dance performances, cooking demonstrations, food stalls and family-friendly activities.
Melbourne is the world's third-largest Greek-speaking city after Athens and Thessaloniki - opa! Get your Greek on and don't miss out on trying loukoumades: deep-fried donuts with honey and walnuts.
Moonlight Cinema
Until 5 April 2026. Central Lawn, Royal Botanic Gardens, Melbourne.
Experience great cinema in the great outdoors at Moonlight Cinema, running throughout the entire summer season in Melbourne's Royal Botanic Gardens.
You can choose from new releases like Wicked: For Good, Avatar: Fire and Ash, Anaconda or The Spongebob Movie: Search for Squarepants or beloved classics like Harry Potter and the Prizoner of Azkaban, Parent Trap, The Greatest Showman, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Shrek or Back to the Future. There are plenty of tasty snacks, hot food and cold drink options available to buy at each screening.
Most: Best movies in cinemas now and coming soon to Australia
There are lots of fun cultural displays at the Antipodes Festival. Image: Getty
Best summer festivals and events in Victoria 2026
Festival of Sails
24-26 January 2026. Geelong Waterfront.
Held over the Australia Day long weekend, Festival of Sails is Australia's largest annual keelboat regatta. It's a celebration of all things sailing, culminating in the oldest sporting event in the Southern Hemisphere: the Melbourne to Geelong Passage Race.
The Geelong waterfront along Eastern Beach and the Royal Geelong Yacht Club is just as exciting onshore. Enjoy fireworks, market stalls, a classic car showcase, kids' scavenger hunt, cruises, try-sailing days, food trucks, morning yoga and more.
Summer Sundays
4, 11, 18 & 25 January. Ballarat Botanical Gardens.
Summer Sundays Ballarat is a free, family-friendly live music series held in the beautiful Ballarat Botanic Gardens.
The event features a rotating lineup of Australian musicians performing on Sunday afternoons, paired with food trucks, picnic spaces and relaxed outdoor seating. Explore all the Ballarat region has to offer and stay at the nearby RACV Goldfields Resort.
The Riverboats Music Festival takes place on the banks of the Murray River. Image: Visit Victoria
Geelong Beer Festival
17 January 2026. Johnstone Park, Geelong.
The Geelong Beer Festival celebrates craft brewing, with a strong focus on independent producers from Victoria and beyond. Visitors can sample a wide range of food and drinks from world-class breweries, cideries, distilleries, cocktail specialists, vineyards and local gourmet street food.
There will also be live music from The Grogans, Smoke Stack Rhino, Rhys Chimmin, and Sound Lounge. Plus, enjoy a live comedy stage, brewing masterclasses, roving performers, and family-friendly activities.
Riverboats Music Festival
13 - 15 February 2026. Aquatic Reserve, Echuca.
Held along the Murray River, the Riverboats Music Festival blends roots, blues, folk and country music with the heritage charm of Echuca. Paddlesteamer cruises, riverside stages and historic streetscapes make this a standout regional music event.
This year's lineup features Andrew Gurruwiwi Band, Baker Boy, Bleak Squad, Cash Savage & The Last Drinks, The Counterfeit ft. Freya Josephine Hollick, Daisy Kilbourne, Emma Donovan, Felicity Urquhart & Josh Cunningham, Full Flower Moon Band, The Living End, Merpire, Norwood, Paul Dempsey, Queenie, The Wildlings, Xavier Rudd, and MC Brian Nankervis.
Feastival Falls Creek
13 - 15 February 2026. Falls Creek Alpine Resort, High Country.
Set in the Victorian Alps, Feastival Falls Creek combines live music, food experiences and alpine scenery.
While best known as a winter destination, Falls Creek's summer festival offers a unique high-country experience for travellers looking to explore Victoria's mountains outside ski season. 2026 will feature The Jungle Giants, The Dreggs, Ruby Fields, Groove City, Liv Cartledge, Tanya George, Nick Cody, Claire Hooper, Brett Blake, Sam Taunton, Tash Poon, Marudex, DJames, Ooz Music, and Muzz.
Festival of Colours
22 February 2026. Elephant Walk, The Esplanade, Torquay.
Held in beachy Torquay, the Festival of Colours is a vibrant, family-friendly event inspired by the traditional Indian celebration of Holi. Coloured powders are joyfully thrown over singing and dancing attendees at this free, family-friendly event.
There will also be live music and dancing, vegetarian food stalls, face painting, henna, children's activities and more. The festival is within walking distance of the RACV Torquay Resort.
